Our ancestors were strong on oral tradition. From generation to generation, Acadians and French-Canadians traced back the threads of their origins. Perhaps the way the world has changed and how splintered families are today is what calls us with such a great interest to research our family roots.. our family genealogies.

There are not many family threads handed down nowadays. We must search for them. However, it must be said that even today, in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick when meeting an Acadian, if you ask who that person descends from they will orally give you the direct line back to their first ancestors. Oral tradition is still maintained among some Acadian descendants.

Acadia, the first French colony in North America was located at the eastern corner of Canada. The first French colonists (120 volunteers) arrived in Acadia in 1604 with Champlain. They were mainly soldiers and craftsmen. Others arrived in 1606 and were for the most part farmers. These were the pioneers who founded Port-Royal, now Annapolis Royal, in Nova Scotia.

In 1620, England seized Acadia and all of Canada for the first time. These lands were later returned to France by the Treaties of Suze and of Saint-Germain-en-Laye in 1632. It was at this time that the French decided to settle 300 pioneers in Acadia. This group was under the leadership of Isaac de Razilly, who came from Auray in Brittany (Bretagne). Cousin of Cardinal Richelieu, he was nominated governor of Acadia. Charles de Menou de Charnisay, sire d’Aulnay, accompanied him on this journey. The first families arriving in successive waves, were recruited in the provinces of West of France. This began in 1636.

Port-Royal was taken by the English during the war which took place from 1654 to 1667. At the end of the hostilities, Acadia was given back to France by the Treaty of Breda.

Belle Ile-en-Mer

Louix XV was looking for farmers to populate Belle-Ile-en-Mer which had been partially destroyed by English occupation. When they arrived in Belle-Ile-en-Mer in September and October 1765, the 78 Acadian families were settled in the seigneuries' warehouses (355 people). There, they awaited the designation of land in the villages. This took place after the division of noble lands were exchanged for a fee - (feudal system).

They started to settle about April 1766 and each family received only about 30 measures of land - a farmer could plow this land in only one day. They were also provided with a dwelling place, stables, animals as well as farming utensils. This was intended to equalize them with the other Belle-Ile colonists. This was a difficult period for the people of Belle Ile who had just been subjected to the invasion of the English and were now asked to be tolerant and to make efforts live alongside these newcomers, as well as for the Acadians who had to adapt themselves to a new life and a new language.

During the troubled period of the Great Deportation, the baptism, marriage and death registers held by the missionaries were sometimes destroyed. When the Acadians arrived, they were asked to reconstitute their genealogie. These have become known as the Declarations of Belle-Ile-en-Mer. Some of these declarations contained obvious errors but for the most part, they were the accounts of the Acadians from the time of the arrival of the first colonists in Acadia, through the Deportation ordeal up to their coming to Belle-Ile. These accountings were witnessed by other Acadians and are today precious research tools in finding some of our ancestors who were sent to Belle-Ile.

The 78 Families of Belle-Isle-en-Mer ~ This Represents 355 Family Members

12.Charles Leblanc
Born August, 1734 at Pigiguit, son of Honoré (11), brother of Raymond (13)
of Paul (11) and of Joseph (11). His wife, Anne Landry born
February 4, 1739 - Rivière-aux-Canards, daughter of Marie-Rose (70).
They have two children: Claude Marie (1765) and Marie (1763).
Arriving from Liverpool and Morlaix, settled at Bordrouant (Bangor).

13.Raymond Leblanc
Born January, 1742 at Pigiguit, son of Honoré (11), brother of Charles (12),
of Paul (11) and of Joseph (11). His wife, Marie Terriot, born September 26,
1740 - Rivière-aux-Canards, daughter of Marie-Josèphe (61).
Arriving from Liverpool and Morlaix, settled at Bordustard (Le Palais).

17. Alain Leblanc
Born in 1731 - Grand'Prée. His wife, Anne Babin, born in 1737 - Grand'Prée,
daughter of Marie (65) and sister of Joseph (65), with one orphan Joseph Leblanc (1752).
Arriving from Southampton and Saint-Malo, settled at Kernest (Bangor).

18.Jean-Baptiste Leblanc
Born October 30, 1726 - Grand'Prée. Widower from his first marriage.
His wife, Marguerite Bellemer, born in 1735 - Grand'Prée.
Their four children: Jean (1747), Pierre (1753), Moïse (1761),
Marie(1763).
Arriving from Southampton and de Saint-Malo, settled at Kernest (Bangor).

19.Jean-Baptiste Leblanc
Born in 1716 - Grand'Prée, brother of Marie (65), widower. With his son Jean (1746).
Arrived from Southampton and Saint-Malo, settled at Loqueltas (Sauzon).

30.Miniat Daigre
Born June 25, 1742 Mélanson, born January 28, 1746 - Rivière-aux-Canards,
daughter of Pierre Mélanson (31).
Arriving from Saint-Servan where he had been since 1759 she arriving from Southampton as well as Saint-Malo. Settled at Cosquet (Locmaria).

39.Pierre Trahan and Jean Hébert
Pierre Trahan , born June 9, 1696, in Acadia, father of Joachim (40) and Pierre (41).
Jean Hébert, his brother-in-law, born in 1699 in Acadia, father of Amable (53),
Agnès (16) Madeleine (42), and his wife, Ester Courtenay (Hester
Courtnay), born in 1709.
Arriving from Liverpool and Morlaix, settled at Borderhouat (Locmaria).

48. Claude Pittre
Born May 3, 1700 - Port-Royal. Widower of a former mariage. His wife, Magdeleine Darrois,
born in 1715 - Grand'Prée. Sister of Ursule (43).
And Paul Trahan (1751) orphan.
Arriving from Liverpool and Morlaix, settled in Triboutoux (Sauzon).

49. Alexandre Aucoin
Born August 10, 1725 - Cobequid. Widower one time, he is the brother-in-law
of Pierre Trahan (45) and of René Trahan (46). His wife, Élisabeth Duon,
born May 21, 1743 - Rivière-aux-Canards. Sister of Honnoré (57).
Their three daughters: Marie Josèphe (1754), Anne (1761) Geneviève (1765).
Arriving from Liverpool and Morlaix, settled at Calastren (Bangor).

52. Pierre Boudrot
Born in 1736 - Grand'Prée. His wife, Anne Boudrot, Born September 15, 1730 - Port-Toulouse
(île Royale). She was a widow of her previous marriage.
Their son, Joseph (1765) and four minor children: Pierre Haché (1750), Marie Haché (1751), Geneviève Haché (1750), Henriette Haché (1754), Children from Anne's first marriage.
Arriving from St-Malo where they have been since 1763, settled at Kernest (Bangor).

53. Amable Hébert
Born in 1746 - Pigiguit, son of Jean(39), brother of Agnès (16) and of Madeleine(42).
His wife, Marie Richard born August 15, 1741, daughter of Pierre (33), sister
of Joseph Ignace (34) and of Catherine (44).
Their daughters: Marie-Modeste (1764) and Brigitte Josèphe (1765).
Arriving from Liverpool and Morlaix, settled at Coty (Locmaria).

54. Magdeleine Trahan, widow of Joseph Hébert
Born in 1704 (ou 1700).
Mother of Marie (20) and Magdeleine Pélagie (77).
Chidren: Jean-Baptiste (1745) and Marguerite (1746).
Arriving from Liverpool and Morlaix in the end, this family was not settled in Kervarigeon, following the death in November 1766, of Magdeleine at Sauzon.

55. Charles Hébert
Born February, 1731 - Pigiguit. Twice a widower. His wife, Marie Lecoq, born in 1733
at Saint-Servan (Saint-Malo). Their daughter, Théotiste Marie (1763).
Arriving from Saint-Malo, they had not been sent to Britain and settled at Kervarigeon (Bangor).

56.Cyprien Duon
Born April 1, 1729 - Port-Royal. Uncle of Honnoré (57), of Marie(40), of Élisabeth
(49) and of Marguerite (45). His wife, Margueritte Landry, born
January 15,
1735 - Rivière-aux-Canards. Daughter of Marie-Rose Rivet widow Landry (70).
Their two children: Jean-Baptiste (1759), Marie (1764) and one orphan, Jean Vincent (1745).
Arriving from Liverpool and Morlaix, settled at Calastren (Bangor).

57. Honnoré Duon
Born November 16, 1737. Son of Magdeleine Vincent (41), brother of Marie (40),
Marguerite (45), Élisabeth (49). His wife, Anne Trahan, born in
born in
1741 - Pigiguit. Sister of Louis (47), Philippe (47) and Catherine (47).
Their children: Marie (1760), Anne (1761) and Marie Vincent (1748) minor in their charge.
Arriving from Liverpool and Morlaix, settled at Marta (Bangor).

58.Louis Courtin
Born April 16, 1730, - Fréteval (Blois). His wife, Marie Martin, born in
1740 - Port-Royal. His two sisters, Françoise (1744) and Anastasie (1745).
His two daughters: Marie (1762) and Mathurine Olive (1764).
Arriving from Ireland and Morlaix, settled at Triboutoux (Sauzon).

65.Joseph Babin
Born at Saint-Charles-des-Mines in 1735, son of Margueritte Dupuy (66), brother of Anne (17)
His wife, Marie Leblanc, born in 1735 - Grand'Prée.
Sister of Jean-Baptiste (19).
Their four children: Joseph Nicaise (1758), Bonnaventure (1759), Marie (1761), Victoire (1763).
Arriving from Southampton and Saint-Servan(St-Malo), settled at Loqueltas (Sauzon).

66. Margueritte Dupuy, widow of Claude Babin
Born in 1702 at Mines, mother of Joseph (15) and of Anne (17).
And her children: Laurent (1740) and Charles (1742).
Arriving from Southampton and Saint-Servan, settled at Kerlédan (Sauzon).

67. Jean Douaron
Born March, 1730 - Pigiguit. Brother of Alexis (68). His wife Anne Thibaudeau,
born January 8, 1731, - Pigiguit.
Their four children: Jean-Baptiste (1760), Pierre (1763), Anne-Dorothée (1762), Marguerite Joseph (1764).
This family was at Saint-Enogat (Saint-Malo) as of 1760, they settled at Borthéro (Locmaria).

68. Alexis Douaron
Born June 29, 1723 - Pigiguit, brother of Jean(67). Widower of a previous marriage.
His wife, Magdeleine Josèphe Bourg.
Their children : Grégoire (1744) et Josaphat (1746)
(who never came to Belle-Ile), Jean-Charles (1760), Magdeleine (1763), Marie-Roze (1765).
Arriving from Saint-Enogat (Saint-Malo), where they have lived since 1760 without having been
deported to Britain. Settled at Borthéro (Locmaria).

69. Charles Gautrot
Born October 4, 1736 - Rivière-aux-Canards. His wife, Magdeleine
Mélanson, born at Mines
in 1736, daughter of Jean (32). Their son, Jean Charles (1764).
Arriving from Saint-Servan without exile to Britain, settled at Cosquet (Locamaria).

73. Abraham Gendre
Born at Caumont d'Armagnac (Auch), October 18, 1725. His wife,
Marie-Josèphe Robicheau,
born March 6, 1717 - Cobeqid. And their daughter, Anne-Claire (1765),
born when they arrived November 24.
At Saint-Servan since 1763, settled at Kerzo (Locmaria).

75. Emilien Ségoillot
Born August 15, 1713 - Chatellenot (Autun). Widower from his first marriage.
His wife, Margueritte Naquin, born in 1726 - Cobeqid.
Their children: François Dominique (1753) et Marie-Françoise (1764).
This family was at Saint-Suliac (Saint-Malo) as of 1763, settled at Borbren (Locmaria).

76. Joseph Billeray
Born November 11, 1727 - Vernierfontaine (Besançon). His wife Brigitte Forest,
born April 29, 1729 - Pigiguit. Their children: Jean-Joseph (1762), Marie-Jeanne (1759), Anne Brigitte (1764).
this family was at Pleurtuit (Saint-Malo) as of 1759 without having been sent to Britain. Settled at Kervarigeon (Bangor).

78. Pierre Doucet
Born November, 1738 - Saint-Charles-des-Mines. His wife,
Marie-Blanche Richard,
born in February, 1746 - Grand'Prée. Their sons, Joseph Basile (1764), and Charles Richard (1749), brother of Marie-Blanche. Pierre Doucet married at Southampton in 1763 and he was at Saint-Servan in 1764 where his son was born. Settled at Anvorte (Sauzon).